


Fluffy Spirits

by ElenCelebrindal



Category: Yu-Gi-Oh! GX
Genre: Also Yugi's there too for a bit, Christmas Fluff, Dorks in Love, Fluff, Fluff and Smut, Fluffy Ending, I sure as Hell don't know here, M/M, Romantic Fluff, This Is STUPID, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, What Are Card Games
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-25
Updated: 2018-12-25
Packaged: 2019-09-27 08:41:28
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 19,021
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17158823
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ElenCelebrindal/pseuds/ElenCelebrindal
Summary: Jaden had said only his name, and then they unexpectedly kissed, standing in the doorway, half in the cold, half in the warmth of Jesse’s house, tangled in a long awaited but never exchanged hug, while Jaden stroke his best friend’s fluffy hair.[...]Jaden puffed a smile: «I never properly apologized for that, didn’t I? Leaving you all without even saying goodbye. Without even telling you I had a terrible crush on you».[...]Laughing, he grabbed Jesse by his waist and spun him around, as cheerful as a little kid: «It’s snowing, Jesse!».And then, obviously, Jaden tripped and they both fell on the ground, Jesse landing on top of the brunet and stealing his breath.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This story is set 8 years after the ending of Yu-Gi-Oh! GX, and apparently Jaden settled down on the island of Duel Academy because Kaiba, for some reasons, decided to give him the professor job. I swear, my mind is a weird place.   
> I decided to write this specifically for this Christmas, I don't know why, I just... wrote it. I don't even know why, but this ship gives me sooooo many fluffy ideas and prompt, my mind cannot even comprehend them.   
> I originally planned this to be a one-shot, but my imagination got carried away and I decided to divide the whole work in three chapters, just to avoid a huge block of text.   
> I sure as hell love long fanfictions, but I have strange reasons I can't control.  
> Also, the Yugi that appears in this work (I mean, he literally says three sentences but whatever) is part of the storyline of my SetoxYugi, even though that work is sooooo behind this stuff does not have any correlation as for now. 
> 
> Oh, Jesse is Finnish. For some reasons, I always had the headcanon of him being Norwegian, but I somehow changed my mind while writing this. So yeah. Jaden has a Finnish boyfriend now. 
> 
> But enough of that, Merry Christmas and enjoy the story!

«Wake up, Jaden! It’s late».  
Without many compliments, Jesse approached the window and opened the curtains, squinting when the white-ish light of a snowy day flooded the bedroom.   
Seeing that his boyfriend, instead of coming back to life, burrowed deeper under the covers, the teal-haired man moved towards the bed and grabbed the fluffy blanket: «I said, wake up!», he exclaimed, pulling it away with a swift motion.   
The blanket almost knocked the lamp on the nightstand, but Jaden had finally opened his golden eyes, so Jesse considered that a win condition.

 

 

 

«Come on, it’s not late», Jaden complained, rubbing his eyes. The light coming from outside, even if not really bright, still hurt. «My alarm hasn’t even went off».

 

 

 

«Your alarm went off thirty minutes ago. You threw you phone on the ground after shutting it», Jesse said, picking up the device. «I understand you don’t have classes, but it’s almost noon. Get up and help me pack up for our trip», he added, throwing Jaden his phone before leaving the room.

 

 

 

«Ugh, fine», Jaden conceded, and threw his legs off the side of the bed, turning his back to the window. The brown-haired man scratched his head, and after a long yawn stood up, burrowing his feet in the soft carped covering the floor.   
He headed to the bathroom right after checking for eventual damage on his phone, and didn’t bother to lock the door.   
Sighing, but looking forward to help Jesse in their preparations, Jaden grabbed his toothbrush and brushed energically his teeth, the mint toothpaste freshening his breath.  
After that, he stepped into the shower and turned on the water, shivering in the cold air when he got out of its hot steam.

 

 

 

«What do you want for lunch?».  
Without bothering to knock, Jesse peeked into the bathroom and whistled at seeing Jaden’s naked body, hidden only by a small towel tied around his hips.  
He had gotten really well built over the years, and the teal-haired man never complained about it.

 

 

 

Noticing Jesse’s blushing face, Jaden put up his most charming expression and approached him: «I wouldn’t mind having _you_ for lunch», he whispered, nibbling lasciviously at his earlobe.  
Then, however, Jaden laughed and moved away from him, reaching for another towel to dry his hair: «Whatever you make is fine. I’ll be down to help you in a bit», he said, giving him a quick kiss on the lips as he left the bathroom, heading back to their bedroom.

 

 

 

«You absolute insufferable tease», Jesse addressed him, flustered, his sped up heartbeat thumping against his chest. «Don’t take too long!», he then told him, heading downstairs in the kitchen.  
Their tiny kitchen was, as always, a horrible mess of dirty plates and pots, so Jesse sighed and resolved to wash the dishes still in the sink, before placing a skillet on the stove to cook some meat.  
Sure, they could go to the blue dormitory and eat there, alongside Obelisk Blue students and staff, but they almost never did that.  
Jaden, especially, spent only class hours on proper school ground, before going back to their small but cozy house on the island.  
Since Seto’s decision to involve Jaden in his Academy teaching program, given his challenging ability with Fusion Monsters, and with Duels in general to a less high level, the young man had started suffering less and less the school atmosphere, mostly because of his experience during the last year.  
It was no secret Yubel’s spirit, still living inside Jaden thanks to his use of Super Polymerization, had a some kind of involvement in that feeling, but Jaden was happy nonetheless to be able to help teenagers on their way to become professional Duelists.

«You’ve come a long way, Jay», Jesse muttered to himself, flipping the sizzling meat to avoid burning it.   
When the man came to his door, panting, completely covered in dirt and dust and with the brightest smile even on his face, Jesse didn’t know what to do. Or think.   
The man that knocked at his door, all the way to Finland during a freezing winter, was so different from the reckless boy he was during school times Jesse couldn’t even recognize him at first glance.  
His hair, longer and wilder, hid more mature shapes and lines, and his former soft hazel eyes had become piercing irises made of gold. At first, Jesse was scared of that apparition, so similar to the stories Axel and Jim told him about the Supreme King, but after seeing Jaden’s luminous smile he had to think twice about it.   
Jaden had said only his name, and then they unexpectedly kissed, standing in the doorway, half in the cold, half in the warmth of Jesse’s house, tangled in a long awaited but never exchanged hug, while Jaden stroke his best friend’s fluffy hair.  
Jesse smiled at the thought, narrowing his eyes as he started chopping an onion, and burst out giggling when Jaden suddenly hugged him from behind, placing his chin on the man’s shoulder.  
«Don’t just stand there, do something», he scolded him, hinting to the cupboard.

 

 

 

Still smiling, Jaden recovered a pair of plates and silverware and placed them on the kitchen table, after covering it with a simple dining cloth.   
The kitchen wasn’t large enough to give both of them space to maneuver, however, so he had to settle down while Jesse finished their lunch: «You know, we could have just eaten those last two cups of instant ramen. Save you this hassle».  
His phone buzzed, and Jaden scoffed at another bunch of e-mails crowding his inbox: «Ahw, come on! I’ve already told half of these people to stop bothering me. I’m not going to participate in any tournaments until next year, how in the hell are they not understanding this?!», he complained, eliminating every single one of them.

 

 

 

Jesse dropped some meat and vegetables in Jaden’s plate: «First of all, we’re going to eat that cup ramen for dinner, because there’s no way I’ll be in the mood to cook again after all the things we have to do for our trip», he said, sitting down in front of the brunet.  
«And second of all», he added, pouring himself a glass of water: «I already told you to get a manager for that stuff. You might not be a professional Duelist day and night, but no wonder every tournament wants you to be some kind of guest or participant. You can’t deal with everything, let someone else do this job for you».  
Jesse had decided years before to get another person to manage his invitations, if only because every single one of them regarded his cards more than he himself, and the teal-haired man had grown tired of that.  
«You don’t even accept to participate or be a guest in that many tournaments, after all. Think about it, you don’t have to get angry or exasperated every single time some sponsors or organizers ignore your refusals».

 

 

 

«I don’t want other people involved in my life», Jaden replied, gulping down a bite. Jesse, as always, had been an extraordinary cook. The only times the brunet tried to cook something, the kitchen either nearly exploded or smelled like burned food for days.   
«You know I have a hard time trusting people I don’t know», he added, shrugging. He knew it was a leftover from his bundle of bad experiences years before, but even Yubel had always been on the same string of thoughts about that. «After what happened here, especially with that damn Thelonious Viper, I don’t like strangers dealing with my life».

 

 

 

Jesse couldn’t agree more with that statement. Viper had deceived them all and put Jaden’s life in danger more than once, and his minions had a sweet spot for targeting him in an attempt to kill or at least get rid of the boy.   
Even one of the Academy’s professors, Stein, tried to kill him.  
«Yeah, you endured some messed up shit», he granted, waving his fork. «But that doesn’t mean everyone is like that. You have to let someone else do something for you, or you’ll end up overworked».  
Jaden responded with only a nod and they finished lunch enveloped by a soft silence, lulled by the distant waves crashing on the cliff.   
Since they moved on the Academy island, Jaden had decided to build that isolated and comfy house on the edge of a cliff, to enjoy the view and the salty smell of an endless sea. Jesse loved that sound, it calmed him immensely.   
«Anyway», he said, getting up to put the dirty dishes in the sink: «what are we going to do in Domino? We kinda  decided blindly to leave everything and go there for Christmas».

 

 

 

«Mh».  
Not knowing how to answer, Jaden helped Jesse clean up part of the mess and the moved to the living room, where their scattered clothes and travelling supplies occupied every single surface possible.   
They should have finished packing up the day before, but Jaden got suddenly busy replacing a sick professor and Jesse had his hard time in the Academy museum, where his cards were temporarily exposed in an exhibition.   
Jaden could hear him yelling at the keeper from the classroom he was in, a completely separate building, for having almost got the cards stolen by an undercover thief.   
«Where’s my jacket?», he yelled towards the kitchen. «I can’t find it anywhere».

 

 

 

«Which one?».

 

 

 

«The red one. You know, the one that’s like a cape».

 

 

 

«Oh, that».  
Emerging from the kitchen, the room a little tidier than before, Jesse fished the clothing from a pile stacked on the couch and threw it at Jaden: «It was in my closet. Jeez, you need to keep track of your stuff», he said, crossing his arms.  
«Anyway, that thing’s old. You modified your old Slifer jacket to make that, right? Why don’t you buy a new one, that thing’s falling apart».

 

 

 

«Sure, mom», Jaden replied, catching the jacket in mid air. Then, he sighed: «It’s kind of a relic. A good memory of a time full of bad ones. I don’t want to replace it».  
After carefully folding it, he placed the jacket in his baggage and started looking for some pair of pants, scouting the room: «I can fix it, though. It’s not _that_ ruined, it has some holes here and there, but that’s it. It reminds me of my travels, and a lot of those holes aren’t even my fault. You can easily blame Pharaoh».  
The large cat, Jaden had left him in the red dorm upon arriving on the island, had been a fun companion in his solitary adventure, alongside Banner’s spirit still living inside the animal.  
Seriously, that man should really move on to the afterlife or something.

 

 

 

Jesse smiled kindly at that, and started scouting as well for his clothes. He had prepared a lot of options in advance, the only problem was that every one of those was randomly distributed in the room. That’s the reason he was having a lot of trouble, packing everything alone.  
«If you spot my favorite shirt, scream or something. I think I lost it».

 

 

 

«The white one with ruffles on the sleeves?».

 

 

 

Jesse nodded: «Yeah, that one».

 

Chatting sporadically, both men finally packed everything they needed (Jesse’s shirt reappeared from under a pillow) and after putting their luggage near the door they collapsed on the couch, Jaden on top of his boyfriend.  
«So? Got any ideas?», Jesse asked him, playing with long strands of brown hair. If there was something Jesse loved about that new hairstyle, it was the infinite numbers of way he could play with, braid or simply stroke them. He loved how fluffy they felt, even if they seemed spiky and/or harsh at first look.   
He just hated them when he would accidentally find his mouth full of brown lock in the midst of having sex, but that was another issue.

 

 

 

«I don’t know», Jaden replied, burrowing his face in the crook of Jesse’s neck, inhaling his sweet and cold smell. «It’s been years since I’ve actually done something for Christmas that isn’t running around in this or that city. Hell, the last Christmas tree I’ve seen was the one in New York. You know, Rockefeller Center and whatnot. And it was…. Four years ago? Five? I don’t even remember why I was in New York in the first place».

 

 

 

«Yeah, you travelled a lot on your own. I never understood why, though», Jesse said, tilting his head to the side. «I mean, I know you wanted to explore, but you left so suddenly I couldn’t ask you the reason».

 

 

 

Jaden puffed a smile: «I never properly apologized for that, didn’t I? Leaving you all without even saying goodbye. Without even telling you I had a terrible crush on you».  
Straightening his back to look Jesse in the splendid emeralds he had for eyes, the brunet scratched the nape of his neck: «I guess I wanted to find some peace. Help the world by giving it a little bit more kindness. Grow up without putting on your shoulders my bad memories. I needed to be alone, if alone could even be a fitting description for me, but I’m thankful to Yubel for being at my side. With them, I never felt lonely. Even when I got sad or… I don’t know, gloomy when thinking about you. I needed that, and I’d do it again if given the opportunity».  
Then, Jaden smiled more happily, hiding again his face: «But let’s not talk about that time. I enjoyed it, that’s true, but I love being here with you. I would come back again and again to your door, just to re-live our first kiss. I’m so happy to be with you».

 

 

 

«Stop with this, you’re making me blush!», Jesse whined. He had a soft spot for sweet words, and felt his cheeks heat up at hearing those from Jaden.  
He heard him giggle from his hiding spot, and tickled his sides as revenge, snatching a teary laugh from the man, who slid away from his grasp.   
Undaunted, Jesse crawled closer and tickled him again, his fingers dancing like spider legs on his sides, slipping under the fabric of his shirt to reach a higher level of effectiveness .  
Jaden wheezed, trying to scooch away, unable to control his high-pitched laughter in response of that torture, and Jesse gave up only when the man actually got so riled up he was taking difficult breaths.   
His eyes, wet with tears, were overwhelmed by joy and terror at the same time, and Jesse laughed loudly when he curled up in a defensive ball, frowning at him like a pissed off hedgehog.  
«We could go ice skating», he suggested, still laughing at Jaden’s expression, suddenly frozen in fear.

 

 

 

He shook his head so fast his neck hurt: «I can’t even stand with those things on my feet!», he retorted. Actually, he was terrified by those weird weapons ice skaters liked to put on their feet. «Who the hell came up with the idea of creating shoes with blades under them? A murderous psychopath, I’m telling you. What if I fall and someone skates right on my fingers? No thanks».

 

 

 

Jesse laughed again, shaking his head: «They’re not that bad! I can teach you, I used to go ice skating a lot when I was a kid».   
Ho scooted closer to Jaden, curling up against him: «And for the account, ice skating was a very popular thing in Finland, 4.000 years ago. They started using sharpened blades to achieve better and easier movements. You can blame the Dutch for that, but I don’t know how many years ago this evolution occurred. I can assure you no psycho was involved in the creation of ice-skates», he explained, using bits and pieces of trivia he had learned when he was a child. «It’s fun, once you’ve got the basics of it».

 

 

 

«I guess we could try», Jaden conceded, happy to have done so when Jesse’s eyes lit up in anticipation. He didn’t know the man used to go ice skating, but then again he was from Finland, so he could’ve expected that.  
«But if I fall, you’re the one who will have to pick me up», he added, nuzzling his face on Jesse’s shoulder.

 

 

 

In response, Jesse left a small kiss on Jaden’s head: «I’ll always be there to pick you up».

 

 

 

 

 

The boat they rented from the Academy danced lightly on low waves, travelling above the sea surface so softly Jesse and Jaden almost didn’t feel the movement.  
Busy reading an article some journalist wrote about the Crystal Beast origins and story, Jesse snorted at the profusion of wrong information and fantasy written in it. Especially the fact he was a magically gifted chosen one with the world fate on his shoulders made the teal-haired man laugh out loud.  
«And I thought the media had gone crazy about the whole mess with Yugi», he commented, turning off the tablet once he got to the end of the work. «Better never let anyone know you’re fused with a Duel Monsters spirit that once tried to kill us all».

 

 

 

«Eh, Yubel’s better now», Jaden retorted, with a shrug. «But you’re right, I don’t even want to imagine what could happen in that case».  
Crunching on a chocolate bar filled with peanuts, the brunet crashed on the bed to snuggle up with Jesse, and grabbed his phone: «Do you want to play Duel Links? I’m bored, and we still have two days before arriving to Domino».

 

 

 

Jesse nodded and started the app, but the scoffed: «We could have booked a flight to the city. It’s not that we can’t afford travelling with better means». However, he was happy either way.  
«Did you change username again? Stop it», he complained, snatching Jaden’s phone from his hands to do a reverse search for his own name on the app. Jaden’s one, instead of his old Fusion Master J., was changed in Y.J.Fusion. «At least be more creative».

 

 

 

«Yeah, like you, Crystal Keeper?», Jaden replied, taking his phone back to revise his Deck before accepting Jesse’s challenge.  
His Elemental HERO Deck wasn’t really gaining some support and functionality on that app, but most of the time it worked. The other times the Deck just seemed completely broken.  
«Oh, come on! You Summoned Rainbow Overdragon like nothing!», he shrieked, looking wide-eyed at the Field. He had Polymerization and a pair of good fusion materials in his hand, but the situation was less than ideal.

 

 

 

Jesse snickered, smiling at the virtual dragon roaring on the screen: «What can I say, I got a lucky starting hand. Prepare to see your Life Points wiped out», he provoked him, sending his dragon to slay Elemental HERO Stratos on the Field.  
Luckily for Jaden, he had HERO Barrier ready to be used, so the attack failed.   
«Oh, don’t complain that much if you have useful traps», Jesse said, elbowing him in the ribs.

 

 

 

«That’s still not fair».  
He drew a card, and hid a grin: with a little bit more luck and another surviving turn, he could Summon Elemental HERO Electrum and use his character’s ability to activate Skyscraper on the Field, thus obtaining enough ATK points to get rid of Jesse’s monster.  
He still had another face-down HERO Barrier to protect Stratos, but Jesse was ahead of him.  
«Are you kidding me?! Sapphire Pegasus equipped with Crystal Release? Oh, fuck me, I can’t build a good HERO Deck with this game even if my life would depend on it», he grumbled, as Rainbow Dragon sent his Life Points straight to zero after Sapphire destroyed Stratos.

 

 

 

«You’re just out of luck», Jesse cheered him up, gently stroking Jaden’s cheek as he kissed him. «But yeah, I’m pretty sure this game kinda hates you», he said then, amused by the brunet’s pouty expression.

 

 

 

«Shut up and keep kissing me», Jaden countered, crashing their lips back together in a long, sloppy kiss that was all a duel between their intertwined tongues and accidental clicking of teeth.  
Jaden’s hands soon found hold on Jesse’s side, his fingers slipping down the white shirt he was wearing to caress and scratch at the perfect pale skin underneath the fabric. Shuddering at the touch, Jesse placed both hands on the brunet’s face and deepened the kiss, while Jaden savored his taste, the fresh hints of mint toothpaste still lingering.  
«You’re so beautiful», he whispered when their kiss broke, both breathless because of it, raising his fingers to tease the sensitive skin of his abdomen.

 

 

 

Guided by Jaden’s movements, Jesse leaned back on the mattress, until he was laying down on it, his frame trapped by the brunet’s arms and legs.  
His breath itched when Jaden’s fingers found his nipples, and he let out a small moan in response to his ministrations.  
However, Jesse’s hand slid under his own shirt and grabbed Jaden’s wrist, stopping him from what he was doing: «Anyone could come in, Jay. Save this for Domino», he murmured, even if the heat down his body was screaming otherwise.

 

 

 

Even if disappointed, Jaden complied to his boyfriend’s request and drew back, though still caressing Jesse’s chest over the shirt.   
His hands came to rest on the man’s hips, and as he sat back up, Jaden asked for another kiss, as deep as the previous one but lacking the same hidden lust.  
Jaden could distinctively feel his face burning, but he respected Jesse’s preferences, as much as he respected his own.  
«Just wait… I’ll give you the best night of your life», he whispered, alternating tiny kisses everywhere on his face for every word he’d said.

 

Their moment was ruined by a member of the crew knocking on the cabin door, announcing lunch was ready, and Jaden had to hold back a grumpy pout upon seeing Jesse’s prediction was right.

 

 

 

 

 

«Domino City, finally!».  
Jumping on the worn concrete of Domino Pier, a worldwide known location thanks to Yugi and Joey’s Friendship Duel (as media liked to label it after Battle City), Jaden took a look around: «This place’s still the same as years ago. You would think Kaiba would have made some modifications here. Didn’t he decide to buy this place?».

 

 

 

Carrying both his luggage and Jaden’s, because obviously that dork had completely forgot about it, Jesse shrugged: «Maybe he still hasn’t done anything and he’s planning to. Do you even know why he bought this place? It seems useless to him».  
Handing Jaden his stuff, he followed him into the city’s main street, as expected crowded with people and noisy cars, despite the hour.  
The boat arrived in Domino at a pretty late hour, almost 10 pm, and the sidewalk and road were lit by bright blue-ish streetlamps.  
«You know, I kind of missed this».

 

 

 

«What?».

 

 

 

«The noise. The people passing by. Ugh, even the traffic. Living on that island is good, don’t get me wrong, but it gets too quiet after a while».  
As to prove his point, a car suddenly honked a small distance away, startling the teal-haired man and prompting a laugh from Jaden.  
«I’m happy to live there with you, but sometimes it’s good coming back to this life».

 

 

 

Pensively, Jaden scratched his chin: «About that, now that you’ve raised the issue, I’ve something to tell you. But first, I say we reach our hotel and drop dead on a bed or whatever surface we can collapse on. It’s really late and I’m sort of dizzy because of the boat. I need solid ground beneath my feet, or even better, a bed beneath my body».  
While saying that, the brunet fished his phone out of his poofy jacket pocket, and opened a perfectly detailed map application. Once spotted the name of their hotel, a fancy place Jaden had chosen without telling Jesse to surprise him, the man headed towards that direction.  
«It’s not that far from here, I don’t want to waste time waiting for a taxi. Plus, we can walk a little bit, don’t you think?».

 

 

 

«Yeah, we sure can», Jesse agreed, looking around. The last time he saw Domino, the city was completely deserted and a dark feeling of uneasiness loomed upon it, spread by Nightshroud’s pitch black energy. «We’ve spent too much time seated anyway. One more hour on that boat and I’m pretty sure my legs would’ve abandoned me to walk around on their own», he added, catching up with Jaden.  
The lights, shimmering and twinkling like white stars and rainbows, enveloped every tree on the sidewalk, and strings of tiny bulbs emitted colorful and happy lights from every door, shops and houses alike.

 

A few block later, one they got in one of the most expensive areas of Domino, Jesse opened his mouth upon seeing the hotel chosen by Jaden, a massive building that was together ancient and modern. At its entrance, covered by a small porch, Jesse could see the spot occupied by a parking valet.  
At the right moment they crossed the elegant glass and wood doors, a doorman greeted them with a polite and warm smile, ad soon after a bellman approached to take their luggage.  
Not used to that kind of treatment, Jesse was taken aback and eyed confusedly at Jaden, who in response curved his lips in a smile.

 

 

 

«I’ve been in two or three of these fancy places because of tournaments. Apparently, some sponsors really like to make sure their main Duelist is treated well», he explained, holding back a laugh at Jesse’s bewildered expression.   
Jaden had never visited the one they were in, but most luxury hotels looked like the same for him.   
«The thing is, this place is owned by KaibaCorp., because it has a huge ballroom Kaiba likes as a Duel Arena. This hotel hosted a couple of small events organized by him, if I recall correctly, but I’ve never been here».

 

 

 

«That man gives a whole new definition to the word “pride”, I’m telling you», Jesse replied. He had met Seto Kaiba once, on Academy grounds, during a business visit in Yugi’s company, but the teal-haired man never spoke to him. Not even Jaden, even if the job as a professor was Kaiba’s idea in the first place, had never spoke to him directly. And he personally knew the King of Games!

 

 

 

Jaden snorted at that: «Yeah, no kidding».  
When, finally, the couple they were behind of, left the reception a desk, a masterpiece of polished wood mixed with a profusion of high-tech doodads, Jaden and Jesse approached it, and the woman behind it smiled brightly at them.

 

 

 

«Good evening, it’s a pleasure to have you here. What can I do for you?».

 

 

 

«We have a reservation for a suite», Jaden answered, handing his ID card to the woman.

 

 

 

The woman efficiently checked the name on the document and matched it with the appropriate computer data, before giving it back to his owner, together with the keycard for the correct room: «We wish you a pleasant stay. The room is the only one on the floor, so no one should bother you. If you encounter any issues, feel free to report them here, and we will opportunely solve the problem».

 

 

 

«Thank you very much, and good night», Jaden politely replied, grabbing the keycard the woman handed him.   
Then, together with Jesse he reached the elevators and called one: «I don’t think I could ever get used to this. And to think Aster almost lives in these places for how much he travels!».

 

 

 

Still disorientated, Jesse shrugged: «I didn’t know these hotels had that kind of staff. I can’t understand if I like it or not», he said, getting in the elevator and soon followed by Jaden.

 

 

 

Following the instructions written on the back of the keycard, Jaden pushed the button for the top floor and leaned against the elevator mirror: «Same. But one thing I really like with this kind of employees. They are absolutely discreet and they always avoid to draw attention on you. Both security and respectful measures, I think. They don’t snoop around if there’s no need to», he said, eyeing the numbers on the digital panel.

 

The room, other than being the only one on the floor, was huge.  
When Jaden swiped the keycard in the dedicated slot and opened the door, both men stared at it, wide eyes and with their jaw hanging.   
It wasn’t one of those suits whose appearance was nothing short than a house, completed with a kitchen and whatnot, but it was stunning.    
The setting was divided In two main rooms: a living room, furnished with fancy looking furniture and equipped with a giant, flat screen TV; and the bedroom.   
«Wow».

 

 

 

«Yep. Wow», Jesse agreed, finally setting foot in the room. Their luggage was already there, near the door, but the man had eyes only for that warm and cozy environment.  
Fresh and colorful flowers where placed everywhere, neat bouquets springing up from elegant glazed vases, and a silver tray left on the coffee table offered a bowl full of ripe fruits and some chocolate treats.   
«This is amazing», he commented.  
The couch, covered with a smooth white fabric, was so inviting and soft when Jesse sat down on it he sunk deep in the cushions.

 

 

 

«I’ve never been in a suite, before», Jaden said, amazed by the place, as he sat down next to Jesse. Only to crash right into him, as the pillows welcomed him into their embrace.  
«I’ve been in these hotels, but never a proper suite. Damn, this is better than our house, and it’s only a room!».

 

Before going to bed, Jaden recovered the remote and turned on the TV, scrolling through various channels (lots of them never seen before by both men) and settled on a Duel Commentary about some new Duelists emerging from the shadows.   
«So… ice-skating tomorrow?», he asked, still hoping the answer would be a negative one.

 

 

 

Jesse laughed, catching the indecisiveness in the brunet’s voice: «Come on, Jaden. Don’t be such a little kid. Ice-skating is really fun», he replied, playfully pinching his nose.  
As a result, half a second later he found himself pinned on the couch by Jaden’s weight, the man leaning down to let their lips meet.  
He complied, and as their mouths crashed together in a deep kiss, Jesse’s hands wandered on Jaden’s toned build, slipping under his shirt and caressing his back.   
However, both of them were too tired, a huge yawn by the brunet as a proof: «Let’s go to bed. We’ll have plenty of time tomorrow. After ice-skating», he winked.

 

 

 

Defeated, Jaden let out a playful snort: «You’re such a damn tease. I love you», he said, leaving a small kiss on Jesse’s cheek.  
Finally free from the couch’s embrace, the two men recovered their luggage and moved to the bedroom, another shockingly amazing room.  
The bed, placed in the center of the room, was so big it could easily fit four people instead of two, and was covered by expensive looking sheets. At its feet, laying on an electronically sealed chest (probably acting as a safe), there was a fluffy coverlet, neatly folded and free to use.   
On both pillows there was a blood red rose, while on the center of the bed a box of homemade chocolate caught the brunet’s attention.   
Other than that, the room was furnished with a desk provided with charger stations, two bedside tables and a built-in closet.  
Two bottles of water, sealed and ice cold by the look of them, were on the nightstands, as well as a bottle of pricey wine placed in ice cubes.  
«I think they caught the hint and understood we’re a couple», Jaden said, falling on the mattress.

 

 

 

«What told you that? The roses, the wine, or the tremendously obvious double bed?».  
Snickering, Jesse plopped down next to Jaden and fixated his gaze out of the window offering a beautiful view of Domino by night.  
The KaibaCorp. skyscraper, still dotted with light behind its windows, towered above the majority of other buildings. «Hurry up, we need to take a shower. I’m not going to sleep before drowning under hot water».

 

«Ok, are these really necessary? This hotel is fucking crazy».  
Holding up a pure white robe so thick and spongy his fingers dug into the material, Jesse shook his head, incredulous: «This thing Is worth my entire wardrobe, I’m sure about it».

 

 

 

Jaden splashed him with a handful of the hot water trickling down his body, from the functioning shower head: «Stop sulking and come in here», he called him, opening his arms in an inviting hug.  
He watched intently as Jesse removed his clothes, carefully folding his shirt and pants and throwing his underwear in a near laundry basket, and couldn’t help but blush at seeing his naked, perfect body.  
Jesse’s pale skin was smooth, with no imperfections or scars; Jaden often thought that man was a walking dream, came into existence only thanks to a miracle.   
His teal hair, longer than the messy cut he had back in school years, flowed freely on his shoulders, barely tickling his back.  
Jaden held out a hand: «Come here…», he whispered, pulling Jesse to his chest right when the man complied. «Let’s get over with this shower».

 

Thanks to the luscious and heavily scented bath products provided by the hotel, both men came out of the shower squeaky clean and smelling like “orange & bergamot”, as the bottle of fancy shower gel read. They wasted nothing but a little time drying their hair, and finally climbed in bed, warmed up by both the hot shower and the comfy blankets.  
«You set the alarm», Jaden mumbled, hogging the sheets and curled up in a ball, laying sideways on the mattress.

 

 

 

Sighing exaggeratedly, Jesse complied and set an alarm for early in the morning, and then stole his sheets back, slipping his arms around Jaden’s chest.  
He left a sweet and faint kiss on his neck and, lulled by the brunet’s heartbeat and breath, closed his emerald eyes and fell into a deep, peaceful slumber.

 

 

 

 

 

«How in the hell are you so good at ice skating DON’T YOU FUCKING DARE LEAVE MY HAND!».  
Jaden was not doing well at his first attempt at skating.  
Following Jesse’s suggestion, they went to an outdoor ice skating rink, but once Jaden had put the bladed skates on his feet, disasters started going down.  
Upon setting foot on the ice, not even halfway on the frozen layer, the brunet slipped and fell on his butt, unleashing the laughter of near people.  
Again, while trying to find his balance, Jaden accidentally let go of the safety railing and exhibited in a hilarious and weird panic dance before hitting the ice with his ass.  
The third time, he grabbed Jesse’s hand (miraculously standing on those killer blades) and refused to let go of it for at least half a hour, while finding a way to avoid falling at every single “step” taken.   
But, Jesse was a bitch.  
Soon enough, right when Jaden had managed to find his balance, the teal-haired man disentangled his fingers for the brunet’s and skated a small distance away.

 

 

 

«Watch your language, there are children here», Jesse scolded him, although he was snickering.  
To see the once majestic and fearful Supreme King, the gold-eyed being, merciless and powerful, falling on his butt because of a thick layer of ice was nothing short than amusing and entertaining.

 

 

 

«You make this seems so easy! How do you st…ohw!».  
Massaging his rear end and glaring at a laughing Jesse, Jaden made a mental note to avoid talking while fighting with blades under his feet.   
«You’re insufferable», he said, looking at Jesse, who was fluidly skating like it was the most natural thing in the world for him.   
Down below, however, Jaden was smiling. He was so beautiful, moving so gracefully on the ice rink, curving and spinning every now and then. He could imagine him under a spotlight, dressed in pale blue and covered in sparkles, as people cheered him.

 

 

 

«Jaden? Hey, Jaden? Earth to Jaden! What are you doing, you should be freezing down there!».

 

 

 

Startled by his day-dream, Jaden shook his head and met emerald eyes fixated on him, and a hand waving in front of his face.  
Smiling, he shooed the hand away and grabbed the railing to pull himself on his feet, swaying on the ice as he did so: «I’m fine. And besides, you’ve been laughing your ass off all this time», he replied, pouting and pretending to be offended.

 

 

 

«Oh, is that so?».  
With a provoking hum, Jesse drew near and pinned Jaden to the railing, putting a hand below his chin: «And how, tell me, are you going to complain about it, uh?».

 

 

 

Jaden swallowed, thrilled by Jesse’s expression but still too afraid of falling again to let go of the railing, on which he was holding on with both hands.  
He felt the man’s hot breath on his lips, their mouths almost touching with every word he spoke, and Jaden’s cheeks heated up as he closed the gap and kissed him, unable to stare at those perfect, rosy lips without giving in.  
Throwing in the wind his insecurity, Jaden laced his arms around Jesse’s neck and held himself up like that while they kissed.  
His gold eyes took a moment to open again, when they separated, and when he finally regained his vision, Jaden let out a surprised gasp .  
Not anymore supported by Jesse, nor by the railing, he was finally standing up on the ice, hi legs still shaking but steadier than before.  
That, until he realized what he was doing.

 

 

 

Jesse burst out laughing when Jaden’s butt hit the ice once again, the look of betrayal in his eyes so sudden and sad his sides started hurting. Moments later, overwhelmed by his own laugh, Jesse slipped and fell, right on his ass.  
And for a long while, neither of them could do anything of any sort to help themselves out, too busy laughing and giggling at each other.


	2. Chapter 2

«Shut that thing off».  
Voice still hoarse, Jaden blindly smacked Jesse with his pillow and burrowed his head under the covers, in an attempt to shield his ears from the high-pitched alarm.  
«Why did you even set an alarm?».

 

 

 

Jesse sleepily snickered, shutting off the obnoxious sound, and threw Jaden his pillow back: «You said you wanted to check out some places. I figured we should do it before noon», he replied.

 

 

 

«Are you implying I wasn’t going to wake up in time?».

 

 

 

«I was clearly stating you _can’t_ wake up in time», Jesse retorted, hiding a huge yawn behind his hand. «Besides, it’s 10 am. It’s not that early. Don’t be a bitch about it and move your ass out of this bed», he then said, throwing his legs down the side of the mattress.   
Rubbing his eyes, Jesse abandoned the warm hug of fine sheets to get up, stretching arms and back as he did so: «Come on, you can’t be _that_ tired».

 

 

 

Jaden grumbled a complaint: «I’m not tired. I’m sore everywhere because of you. You and your whole “let’s skate with _blades_ under my feet while Jaden sticks his ass on freezing ice” thing».  
As to emphasize those words, he massaged his butt as soon as he stood up, wincing at the ache still lingering.

 

 

 

Jesse snorted: «Come on, seeing a majestic king like you falling constantly on his butt is funny», he said, ducking just in time to avoid the pillow Jaden threw at him.  
Luckily, the innocent weapon didn’t knock over anything as it missed, and Jesse crossed his arms in a scolding manner: «Stop it, you’ll end up breaking something».

 

 

 

In response, Jaden tackled him with no warnings and both men fell on the fuzzy carpet covering the floor, the brunet on top of his boyfriend.  
«The only thing I’m going to break is your willingness to get out of bed while I’m still here with you…», he muttered, so close to his ear Jesse could surely feel the vibrations of his voice.   
Teal hair tickled his nose as Jaden left a trail of kisses on his neck, down and then up again, until his lips reached Jesse’s face and smothered it with kisses as well.

 

 

 

«Stop teasing», Jesse complained, tangling his hands in Jaden’s hair to pull the man into a deep kiss, flicking his tongue on the other man’s lips to gain entrance to his mouth, tasting his lover as their tongues fought for dominance.   
Then, out of breath, Jesse broke the kiss and pushed Jaden off of him, switching their positions just for a little while, just to give him a little hope, before getting to his feet and hold out a hand for the brunet: «We need to dress up and go. We’re going to have all the time in the world this evening. I’m not going to spend the whole Christmas Eve in bed with you, even if it seems the most beautiful and tempting thing I could think of».

 

 

 

«I figured as much».  
Sighing dramatically, Jaden took Jesse’s hand and stood up: «Where are we going, exactly? I know I said I wanted to go around and check out places, but to be honest, I don’t know where to go». 

 

 

 

«We could go visit some Battle City places. Apart from Domino Pier, I’ve never seen them», Jesse suggested, taking a pair of pants and his favorite shirt from his luggage to dress up.  
Jaden did the same, and then both men moved to the bathroom, ransacking the hotel’s stocked toiletries and soaps. Even the mint toothpaste had an expensive feel to it.  
While trying to tame his hair, always wild in the morning, Jesse came up with yet another suggestion: «Maybe we could go to Domino Plaza, afterwards. We didn’t get to see the Christmas Tree there, yesterday».

 

 

 

Jaden agreed, drying his face with an overly fluffy towel taken from a heated rack: «That’s surely something I want to see. I’ve never seen it, the only times I was here in Domino during my trips was summer, or spring. It’s a shame it’s hasn’t snowed, though», he said, subsequently grabbing a brush to give shape to his messy hair.  
«Also, there should be a cool café, somewhere in that square. Nothing special, but cool nonetheless».

 

 

 

 

 

The chilly hair of late morning grazed Jaden’s cheeks as they set foot outside the hotel, a faint wind blowing stubborn leaves around.  
The streets were already crowded with cars, and people walked up and down the sidewalks, alone or hand in hand with their partners. Some of them in company of large or small dogs, often dressed in silly but rather cute outfits.   
«You know, I kinda miss Pharaoh. I loved having that cat around when travelling», he said, interlacing his fingers with Jesse’s. «He was a cute companion, sometimes».

 

 

 

Jesse giggled at that: «Sometimes», he repeated, stroking Jaden’s hand with his thumb. He was wearing gloves, so the contact was more subtle than even, but still.

 

 

 

«Hey, do you know how much that cat eats? More than me, I can tell you that much. And no one eats more than me», Jaden replied, smiling as well. «Still, I miss him. Plus, professor Banner was an interesting conversation partner, alongside Yubel».

 

 

 

«Do you even think Banner has finally moved on? I mean, living inside a cat can get only that interesting, after some time».  
Shifting his gaze to the human-shaped red led of a pedestrian traffic light, Jesse frowned at the thought. When Jaden told him his once professor and Red dorm head’s spirit was living inside his cat, instead of having vanished like all the other Shadow Riders’ spirits, the teal-haired man was left taken aback and amused at the same time.

 

 

 

Jaden shrugged: «Hell if I know. Whenever I see Pharaoh roaming around on Academy grounds, he just seems like a normal cat. But then again, he seemed a normal cat while holding Banner’s spirit, so who knows. Maybe he’s still there, but doesn’t show up. He did say he wanted to stay in this world, after all».  
When the traffic light turned green, stopping the ensuing traffic, Jaden and Jesse followed the crowd and crossed the street, still hand in hand.   
Domino Plaza wasn’t that far from their hotel, but it still was a bit of a walk to get to.   
«How long ago have you been here, anyway? Apart from that… incident with Nightshroud. I don’t think I ever asked you».  
The brunet shivered at the memory of that event, when Nightshroud successfully clouded his mind with darkness, and he proceeded to challenge Jesse to a Duel, unable to recognize him not even by his signature Crystal Beasts. That was a memory he would rather erase from his mind, and thankfully, Yubel intervened and put it away.

 

 

 

«Mh…».  
Pensive, Jesse scratched his chin, still looking around and eyeing shops and whatnot: «I think it was… one or two years after you went off on your little adventure? I’m not sure. The only reason I came back here was because Pegasus had some new cards for my Crystal Beast Deck. I don’t even remember the exact reason why he wanted to meet me in Domino, of all places. He doesn’t even have a company building in this city, for what I know. But.. yeah. A long time ago. I didn’t even walked around that much, I was busy building up a Dueling career, back then», he answered.   
Then, he tugged at Jaden’s hand upon noticing a jewelry shop nearby: «Let’s go check that place out. I want to see if I can find something for Alexis».

 

 

 

«What…?».

 

 

 

Jesse sighed, not surprised by Jaden’s obliviousness to things: «You’ve already bought all the Christmas gifts for our friends. I didn’t. How are you able to forget everything, while still being one of the best professors Duel Academy has ever seen?».  
Snorting at the blush appearing on Jaden’s face, Jesse dragged his boyfriend to the shop and checked the place out before entering.   
The shop was small but well kept, with lights around to and hanging from the glass door. On display there were fine necklaces and earrings, gold pieces shining with gems. A perfect place to find something for a girl like Alexis, practical but elegant in her own way.  
«You can take a look around if you want. You don’t have to stick to me if you’re bored», Jesse quickly said to Jaden, knowing perfectly well how the man tended to get uninterested if not directly involved into something. And Jesse wanted to chose a gift without Jaden’s insight.

 

 

 

«You don’t trust my taste in jewels? How rude of you», Jaden complained, smiling. «Take your time, I know you’ll be quick. You are far more capable then me at choosing gifts for girls», he added, letting go of his hand to browse the place.  
While Jesse checked out silver necklaces and stuff like that, Jaden wandered around the small shop and came across a small, yet graceful display, showing a plethora of yellow and white gold rings, some plain, some embellished by tiny, shining gems and/or crystals.

 

 

 

After a while, not many options later, Jesse pointed out a necklace to the jeweler: «That’s perfect. I’ll take it».   
It was a simple one, a white gold chain with a pendant made of see-through blue crystal in the shape of an angel wing. It wasn’t that expensive either, despite the material it was made of.   
«Thank you», Jesse said when the woman behind the counter handed him the box containing the necklace, wrapped in shiny blue-ish paper.   
She and the jeweler wished them Merry Christmas as both man took their leave from the shop, Jaden fidgeting with something in his pocket: «What are you hiding?».

 

 

 

He shrugged, taking his hand out of the pocket to grab Jesse’s hand: «Nothing, I’m just cold. Look, we can see the tree from here!», he pointed out, nodding in the direction of Domino Plaza with his head.  
The star on top of the huge tree, shining with gold shimmer under the weak sunlight, was barely visible between tall buildings.   
«We’re almost there».

 

Just a few more blocks, and Domino Plaza opened up so suddenly Jaden almost didn’t realized it. That square was so immersed in the modern city’s architecture, it surprised him every time.   
Unlike the rest of the street, the paving of Domino Plaza was more refined and polished, almost like an interior floor, with every tile perfectly lined up with the others.   
Jaden’s eyes, however, were fixated on the stunning Christmas Tree proudly standing in the center of the square, were normally there was the iconic clock. The tree wasn’t  real one, obviously, and had to be hollow on the inside, because the clock was something not movable from its place.   
Nonetheless, that tree was a piece of art, completely covered in jingling bells, colorful balls made of plastic, glass or ceramic, hanging figurines depicting various characters, from animals to even Duel Monsters, and long garlands.   
On every single branch there was something, small or big, and a lot of them held face candles, Duel Monsters cards, wishes, handwritten greeting cards and a lot more things, from traditional to eccentric. Moreover, the whole tree was enveloped by strings of lights, hundreds of tiny light-bulbs and light tubes.

 

When Jaden turned his head to the side, he couldn’t help but smile at the amazed and dumbfounded expression of a speechless Jesse, his emerald eyes glistening with joy and wonder.   
His boyfriend seemed completely in awe, hypnotized by that breathtaking Christmas Tree.   
He tugged at his hand, trying to get his attention: «Do you like it?».

 

 

 

Jesse, astonished by the masterpiece he was admiring, simply leaned his head on Jaden’s shoulder, taking in the view: «It’s so beautiful… we have to come back this evening. I can’t even imagine how this is going to look with all those lights lit up», said, a huge smile curving his lips.  
Back in Finland, he had never seen something like that. Christmas actually was a big deal, because following some traditions, a lot of Finnish people believed Santa Claus actually lived in Korvatunturi, in the northern area of Finland itself. Furthermore, people from all over the world often sent letters to the fictional, kind man in Finland. Plus, Christmas Land was a big theme park, apparently built near Santa Claus’ living place.   
But, Jesse lived in a small town, and no such thing as gigantic trees or tourists searching for Santa Claus bothered the quiet place.   
«I love it».

 

 

 

Jaden’s smile widened: «I agree. I didn’t expect it to be so… traditional, in a way. I guess Kaiba never puts his hands in Christmas trees, after all».  
Despite not being that surprised Domino had a pretty traditional tree, even if some of its ornaments weren’t, the brunet was kind of expecting some over-the-top mechanic going on with it. It was a nice touch seeing even a man made of technology refused to touch something already magical by itself.   
«There’s a really good café, there», he suggested after a while, pointing in its direction. Above the entrance, a big sign read “Almondo” in white letters. «Do you want to go around more or…?».

 

 

 

«We can stop there. It’s almost noon anyway, we could eat something before heading somewhere. Plus, isn’t this of the places where Yugi dueled during Battle City?».  
Following Jaden at the café, not that crowded despite the people swarming Domino Plaza, Jesse forced his mind to remember that amazing Duel, Yugi’s first victory in the world-wide known tournament.

 

 

 

They sat down on a table and a waiter gave them a couple menus, one of them quickly opened by Jaden as he replied to the other man: «Yeah, the one against Seeker, if I remember correctly. That sick… how were they called? Rare Hunter. I still can’t believe how fast Yugi realized he was using an Exodia Deck, and the way he destroyed that strategy… amazing».   
Scrolling through the menu, Jaden finally found something fitting for his taste, a B.L.T. sandwich with fries, while Jesse still eyed various options, undecided.   
«Do you want a suggestion? I’ve already been here once, I can help you».

 

 

 

Jesse shook his head: «Nah, it’s fine. They have a lot of food, it’s hard to believe this is only a café», he replied, unsure about what to order.

 

 

 

«It’s a touristic place, after all. And, this café has gotten even more famous because of tournaments held in Domino, since most of them end up with a lot of Duels in this area. They adapted», Jaden told him, with a small laugh.   
There even was one of those blackboard signs outside the café, showing some suggestions for a good lunch, but they straight up ignored it.

 

 

 

«Ok, I think I’ve decided», Jesse finally said, putting down the menu. «I’m taking the double cheeseburger. It’s a bit healthier than a fast food variant, anyway».  
Shortly after, another waiter came to pick up their orders and Jesse added a fizzy drink for himself and Jaden, before letting the young man go away.   
«So this is where Yugi defeat an Exodia Deck. That was pretty impressive, I don’t even know how to recognize a Deck like that without any hints».

 

 

 

Jaden agreed: «Yeah, when I watched that Duel for the first time I was too young to understand what was going on. When I re-watched it, some years later, it’s safe to say I was more than impressed. That Duel wasn’t even a random one. Didn’t Yugi challenge Seeker to take back Red Eyes Black Dragon?».

 

 

 

«He did! Joey’s card, wasn’t it? it was a pretty cool thing to do, Yugi’s a really kind person».

 

 

 

«Indeed», Jaden said, being of the same mind not only by public knowledge, but also thanks to his meeting with the King of Games. He was the one behind his Winged Kuriboh, and even though the card wasn’t in his possession anymore, a Duel with Yugi and the Pharaoh themselves had been more than a reward for the brunet. Even though he was still trying to understand how that Duel had been possible.   
«Say, Jesse», he diverted his thoughts from that direction. «How do you call Santa Claus in Finland?».

 

 

 

Jesse raised an eyebrow: «Why?».

 

 

 

«I’m curious. I’ve never asked you something about Finland. I should have».

 

 

 

«Well…».  
Recollecting his thoughts on the matter, Jesse put his chin on tangled fingers, his elbows resting on the table: «He’s known also as Joulupukki, but it’s a name with a more traditional meaning to it. Now he’s the man who rides a sleigh pulled by reindeers, but the name actually means “Christmas Goat” or “Yule Goat”».

 

 

 

«Christmas… goat?».  
Perplexed, Jaden frowned: «I don’t understand, why you call a big man dressed in red a goat?».

 

 

 

Jesse laughed at that: «As I said, tradition. A pagan one, to be clear. Some also thinks the Joulupukki is a man who turns into a… goat-man? on Christmas Eve, but I think that comes from somewhere else. I don’t know. Anyway, in Finland there still is this weird tradition of someone dressing up as a goat with red robes. Petteri Punakuono, the Finnish version of Rudolph’s song, is the reason why Rudolph is the lead reindeer. We have some pretty strange customs, but I like them. Also, Joulumuori is Joulupukki’s wife», he explained, trying to remember as much as he could from what he’d learned as a child.   
«I don’t remember anything else. I don’t even think I’ve ever seen a person dressed up as a Joulupukki. And if I did, I was too young».

 

 

 

«That’s… wow. I prefer the human one. Even though I’ve discovered pretty quickly he’s not real. Yubel wasn’t that forgiving with lies», Jaden said, sending an inner smile to the spirit living in his soul. They just wanted to keep Jaden safe, even if using very bad means.   
«I can’t even pronounce those names. Finnish it’s a weird language».

 

 

 

«So it’s Japanese. I had my struggle trying to learn it. I still can’t write it properly, I keep making stupid mistakes. Let’s hope I’m never going to be forced to write a long ass poem or something like that. I’ll butcher it completely», Jesse snickered, causing Jaden to follow up.   
They were both laughing as the waiter came back with their orders, placing everything on the table before wishing them a good meal.  
Jesse eyed his cheeseburger, his mouth already watering. The burger was considerably bigger than the ones sold at fast food chains; the cheese was melting on the meat, while homemade sauce dripped down from crispy looking lettuce and shiny tomatoes.  
He took a bite, maneuvering around the ingredients to avoid dropping everything, and let out a contented hum: «This thing is amazing», he commented, his mouth still full. «They sure didn’t need Duel Tournaments to gain fame, the food is enough».

 

 

 

Jaden, busy biting into his B.L.T., nodded in agreement. His sandwich was bigger than he expected, filled to the brim with greasy crispy bacon, fresh lettuce and thick tomato slices. The ingredients were so good, even the bread, he waited to swallow the bite before speaking: «Same. When I came here, some years ago, the food was nothing less than amazing. I’m happy to see they didn’t change».

 

After lunch, Jaden paid for both of them, while Jesse returned the favor by buying some coffee to drink while strolling through Domino.   
With the promise to come back to Domino Plaza to see the lit up tree, Jaden guided Jesse across Domino, trying to remember how to find the street where Joey Wheeler Dueled Espa Roba, that weird teenager with too many brothers look-alikes and a love for cheating.  
«Did you know Yugi actually knew Espa Roba was cheating, during the Duel between him and Joey?».

 

 

 

«He knew?».  
Jesse frowned, confused: «But… if he knew, why didn’t he, I don’t know, tried to warn him or anything? Isn’t Joey his best friend?».

 

 

 

Jaden nodded: «Yeah, he is. I thinks that’s why he didn’t say anything. I’m pretty sure Yugi was just trying to see if Joey could keep his cool in a situation like that. Besides, Espa Roba was caught cheating mid-Duel, so in the end it wasn’t a complete fraud», he added, shrugging.   
Not that he was justifying a cheater, but truth be told, Espa Roba apologized and handed Joey his card and locator card after his defeat, so he did redeem himself, in a way.   
«That Duel was amazing, all things considered».

 

 

 

«It was. The way Joey disrupted Espa Roba’s strategy with Roulette Spider… that was cool. And, if I have to say it, that was the luckiest thing ever», Jesse said, shaking his head. That Duelist was so lucky it was almost insane.   
When they got to the exact place of the Duel, Jesse wasn’t surprised to see it was nothing exciting . Just a street crowded with cars and people, with a few open shops. After all, Battle City took place not only in famous places, but in a huge part of Domino, and it was obvious some good Duel happened in boring places.  
But, a card shop had actually opened on that street following Battle City, so the Duel had left something behind.   
«Do you want to check out that card shop?».

 

 

 

Jaden nodded: «Why not. Who knows, maybe we could even find something good».  
After spotting a traffic light, luckily green for them, they crossed the street and reached the shop. It was a small place, just a dot between bigger ones, but the shopkeeper gave them a warm welcome when they set foot inside.   
The shop wasn’t showing a huge collection of cards, but some rare ones were on display, and Jaden eyed a booster pack perfect for his Elemental HERO Deck.   
As for Jesse, he wasn’t having the same luck.  
«Not finding anything?».

 

 

 

He sighed: «There’s not much to find. My Deck is too unique for common cards. Pegasus is not making support cards especially for my Crystal Beasts for nothing».  
Scouting through the shelves, Jesse tried to find at least one booster pack or something similar that could contain something useful, but with little success.   
In the end, he settled near the counter and waited for Jaden to decide on his last booster, smiling at the joyful look in his eyes.

 

 

 

«Uhm… excuse me?».

 

 

 

Surprised, Jesse turned around to see the man behind the counter addressing him: «Yeah?».

 

 

 

«I don’t want to seem nosey, but… aren’t you Jesse Anderson? The keeper of Rainbow Dragon and the Crystal Beasts?».

 

 

 

Jesse smiled at that and nodded: «Yes, it’s me».  
The look on the man’s face, lit up at those words, made him widen his smile.

 

 

 

«Can I… Can I see them? I’ve heard about that Deck, but seeing it first person… if you want to show me, obviously», he added quickly, almost defensively.

 

 

 

«No problem», Jesse reassured him, taking the Deck out of his holster. He could have left it back on the Academy island, but too many people tried to steal or obtain it, so he didn’t feel his Crystal Beats were going to be safe.   
Plus, his Rainbow Dragon was a prize too many were willing to take from him, one way or another.

 

 

 

The man’s eyes widened as Jesse showed him the Crystal Beasts, and his joyous expression progressively escalated: «Is their origin story true? They really come from Ancient Rome?».

 

 

 

«It’s more like their origins are based in Rome», he explained. «They are derived from Roman lithographs, but they were untouchable, sealed in unbreakable crystal. Pegasus was trying to find someone able to use them, when he met me. And I, still don’t know why, was the one chosen by them».

 

 

 

«So… the Crystal Beasts are, what? Sentient spirits? That seems odd».

 

 

 

Jesse didn’t reply to that. He knew most people didn’t believe in Duel Monsters spirits, let alone in the ability to communicate with them.   
He repressed a laugh at Sapphire Pegasus’ snarky comment about it, and shook his head: «More or less. They could be, if you want to believe it. Many people just thinks these are powerful cards with good effects, and that’s it. and, to a degree, it’s true. But for myself, they are my family», he said.  
He was going to say more, but Jaden was finally done with his hunt for cards, so Jesse closed the conversation there.

 

 

 

«Where next? I could take you to Domino Stadium, but that could hardly be seen as an important place. They just took off on the blimp, from there».  
Finally out of the shop, the man behind the counter left with more money in the cash register and both their autographs, Jaden looked around in search of something interesting to do.   
«There’s also the building on top of which Kaiba and Yugi had their Tag Duel against Lumis and Umbra. If I remember right, that was a mall. We could check it out, while we’re at it».

 

 

 

«You really are in the mood to buy stuff, aren’t you?».  
Jesse puffed out a laugh, watching it condense into a tiny cloud in front of his face, and took Jaden’s hand: «Sure, we could go there. The place of such an intense Duel _plus_ a mall? Sounds great to me», he agreed.

 

The tall skyscraper, a slender building not so different from the ones around it, stood almost anonymous, crowded with people and filled with music and chatter. Every now and then, Jesse could hear a dog barking, and children laughing.   
Christmas lights were hanging from every possible surface, reflecting on the polished floor, and various decorated trees appeared here and there, in the corners of the building.   
When Jesse raised his eyes to the ceiling, he noticed four huge skylights, beyond which a clouded sky could be seen.   
«They Dueled up there? No wonder those Rare Hunters decided to use explosives, it’s a deadly fall from that ceiling», he pointed out, shuddering at the thought.   
One of the two, Umbra for what he could remember, nearly fell to his death as a result of his defeat, but luckily he had a parachute and avoided a lethal crash. That said, Yugi and Kaiba were not that prepared. If they hadn’t won, the world would have said its final goodbye to the King of the Games and the brilliant CEO.   
«It sure requires guts to accept that kind of challenge», he commented, still looking up.

 

 

 

«Even more than that», Jaden agreed. «I’ve done some messed up Duels, but one that makes you drop to certain death? No, thank you».  
Furthermore, seeing Umbra save himself just by a small chance scared Jaden so bad when he was little, he had avoided re-watching that particular Duel for years. Battle City didn’t joke around, when it came to high stakes.  
«There’s a bar down there», he then said, pointing to it. «Want some hot chocolate?».

 

 

 

«I’d love it!», Jesse nodded, looking away from the ceiling.  
The bar was simple, a counter with stools and a pair of tables and chairs, so Jesse and Jaden didn’t waste that much time there.  
They sat down at the counter and ordered hot milk chocolate, topped with whipped cream, but the cozy drink only stole them the time to gulp it down without burning their tongues.   
Soon after, Jesse found a rather interesting clothing shop: «Oh. My. God. Jaden?».

 

 

 

«Mh?».

 

 

 

«Are you seeing what I’m seeing?».

 

 

 

Confused, Jaden shifted his gaze on the shop Jesse was addressing, and widened his eyes, a surprised laugh escaping his throat: «Are you absolutely kidding me?! Don’t you just stand there, let’s buy those!», he the exclaimed, grabbing Jesse’s hand and running in that direction.   
The shop window was, much to Jaden and Jesse’s amusement, displaying a variety of Duel Monsters inspired attire, like hoodies and sweaters (the shop’s name was Dress Like a Monster after all), but what attracted both men attention was a particular pair of hoodies.   
One, pure red in color, depicted Elemental HERO Flame Wingman on the front; the other, white and gold, showed a magnificent Rainbow Dragon. It’s back, luckily showed by another piece on display, revealed all the seven Crystal Beasts.  
Judging by the look on the shopkeeper’s face, a sweet and kind woman, seeing the owners of those monsters wasn’t something she was expecting.

«I’m buying yours, I still need a gift for you», Jaden hurried to say, snatching the white hoodie from Jesse’s hands. «I can’t give you only my presence, I’m too annoying», he added, in response to the teal-haired man’s disappointed expression.

 

 

 

«You’re only annoying when you do this king of unprompted things», Jesse replied. «But if that’s the case, I’m buying yours. It’s only fair», he added, grabbing the red hoodie before Jaden could.   
Like the white one, that hoodie had another print on the back, depicting Elemental HERO Burstinatrix and Avian over a Polymerization artwork.   
«These are so cool. Look, they made them also for Chazz’s Armed Dragon!», he noticed, eyeing a black hoodie hanged not far from where he was standing.

 

 

 

«Too bad I’ve already bought him something for Christmas. Maybe we could get him that for his birthday. He’ll appreciate it».  
Distracted, Jaden walked face first into a shelf, attracting not only Jesse’s, but some other customers’ laugh: «Oh, come on! Can I have a day in this city without this shit?».

 

 

 

Jesse snorted at that complaint: «At least, this time is wasn’t your butt. Come on, or we’ll stay the entire day in here. Not that I’m protesting about it», he said, snickering at the way Jaden was rubbing his nose. After paying for their hoodies, and being distracted by a too-soft-to-be-real Blue-Eyes White Dragon sweater, Jesse dragged Jaden out the shop and sat down on a bench.  
«I’ll have to admit, these are really well done», he observed, taking the red hoodie out of the bag. The fabric was warm and soft at the touch; it sure was a cozy piece of clothing.   
«Where are we going, now? It’s still 3 pm».

 

 

 

«Mh…».  
Jaden scratched his chin, thinking about a place they hadn’t seen, then snapped his fingers: «We’re going where Yugi obtained Slifer. It’s not that far from here», he said, right after the idea struck him.   
That Duel marked history. A victory that almost flew away, taken by Yugi at the last moment. The Duel that gave him the first Egyptian God.

 

 

 

«I couldn’t ask for something better».

 

They arrived at the place half a hour later, distracted along the way by a street artist, performing with his guitar even in the freezing cold outside, and even though that area was nothing special, just a spot lacking people or anything else, really, it filled Jesse with thrill.  
In that place, where they were standing, Yugi had defeated Mark’s mind-controlled puppet, disrupted an undefeatable combination of cards and obtained Slifer the Sky Dragon, one of the three almighty Egyptian Gods.   
Surely a memorable location, for a Duelist who followed that course of events.   
«I still can’t believe he defeated not one, but three Egyptian Gods. Slifer here, Obelisk during his Duel with Kaiba, and then Ra, the most powerful. He’s a man full of surprises», Jesse said, crossing his arms.

 

 

 

«He sure is», Jaden nodded, his freezing hands searching for the warmth of Jesse’s gloved ones. «More than we could possibly know», he added.   
Jaden knew about the Pharaoh, not only because he actually saw those two sides of Yugi, but also because Yubel helped him notice they were two different people altogether. But, he was sure Yugi was hiding something greater than that, a power beyond imagination. After all, he was the keeper of the Millennium Puzzle.

 

 

 

«Didn’t you defeat an Egyptian God as well?».

 

 

 

«What, that Ra?».  
Remembering that absurd Duel, Jaden shook his head, snorting: «That wasn’t an Egyptian God. Sure, it was pretty spot on, for as much as I can say, but that was only a weak copy of the original. Had that been the real Ra, that Franz wouldn’t have been alive to begin with. I don’t know how he managed to get a functioning copy of a card impossible to duplicate, but Pegasus himself said copying a God Card is a risk no one should be willing to take».   
He sighed, the memory of the fake Egyptian God still burning in his mind. He had been afraid, more than he wanted to admit, but luckily the God wasn’t real.  
«And if that Franz had been able to bend Ra’s power to his will, I would certainly not be telling you the story, right now».  
Smiling, Jaden withdrew his hands and ran one of them in Jesse’s hair, the other gently grazing his cheek: «That golden, overpowered and angry chicken was nothing, compared to a God. And I should know about it».

 

 

 

Jesse gave him a soft smile: «And how do you know? You’ve never met a god».

 

 

 

«I have one in front of me right now», Jaden replied, before closing the gap dividing their lips, in a slow and meaningful kiss, his hand still lingering on Jesse’s cheek.  
He felt the teal-haired man’s hands on his shoulders, to bring him even closer. He faintly felt his fingers stroking his back, interlacing in a firm hug, and for a moment he forgot how cold it was. He forgot the reason why they were there, surrounded by nothing but memories they watched on a screen.  
While they kissed, for Jaden there was only Jesse, and nothing else.   
Then, the spell broke, as their kiss ended and the brunet smiled tenderly at his boyfriend, bringing his forehead to his: «You’re the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen».

 

 

 

«Shut up and kiss me again», Jesse replied, feeling his cheeks burn at those words. He was redder than the ruby on Carbuncle’s tail, he knew it.  
Their lips met one more time, in a deeper kiss, as slow as the first one.   
Jesse ran his hand in Jaden’s long locks, holding him close with the other, and let him go only when his lungs begged for air.   
«You sappy little shit», he said, squeezing Jaden’s cold hands into his own. «One of these days you’ll end up killing me. My heart can only take so much».

 

 

 

Jaden laughed at that, rubbing his nose of Jesse’s in a Eskimo kiss: «You don’t die so easily, I can take risks».  
Then, shivering at a sudden gust of freezing air, he eyed the sidewalk above them: «Do you want to get away from that water or…? It’s freezing down here».

 

 

 

Jesse nodded in agreement: «Sure, I was about to ask the same thing. What are we going to do, now? I mean, the last place we should visit is Domino Aquarium, but I think it’s closed», he added, frowning a bit. «But then again, that place saw Joey and Mako’s Duel, not one of Yugi’s. I think we can pass, for now».  
Finally back on the sidewalk, Jesse and Jaden walked around a bit more, checking out various shops as they went, waiting for the sun to set.   
After wandering without an objective, Jaden stopped so abruptly Jesse walked right into him: «Ohw, Jaden! Watch it», he complained. «Uh, Jaden?».

 

 

 

His hand shaking, Jaden pointed in front of him, where a familiar game shop stood, decorated with delicate lights in and out: «Jesse. Look. Inside. Now», he spelled out.  
Normally, seeing the Kame Game Shop wasn’t a big deal for the brunet. He first visited the shop during the trip with the Academy, an occasion on which he had also came to know Yugi’s grandfather, Solomon Muto. And after that, every time he went back to Domino he would go there, to buy something or just to exchange small chat with the old man.   
But…  
Visible through the shop window, even though videogames and consoles blocked the way, Jaden saw the shape of a very familiar person, standing behind the counter.   
He couldn’t mistake those wild, tricolored spiky hair for nothing else in the world.

 

 

 

«What is i… Oh, shit».   
Startled mid-sentence, Jesse took a glance in the direction pointed by Jaden, and his eyes widened so much they seemed ready to pop out of their sockets.   
«Jaden, is that… is that fucking _Yugi Muto_?!».

 

 

 

«I don’t think anyone else could have those crazy hair and get away with it», Jaden replied, shocked but also amused.   
He wondered if Yugi still remembered him, or if the King of Games had simply moved on with no memory of their conversation, and then shrugged: «Should we go? I mean, it’s a game shop anyway. They also sell pretty good cards, a lot of rare ones too».  
He saw Jesse’s perplexed expression upon taking a decision, but the teal-haired man agreed with a smile and the couple crossed the street, eyes glued to the man behind the counter.

 

The shop, Jaden realized, hadn’t changed a lot since the last time he visited it. Sure, the place saw a lot of technological advancements since the _first_ time he went there, but it was the same as few years prior.   
What struck Jaden, however, was the absence of the old man, Solomon. He was nowhere to be seen and, although he didn’t mean to, the brunet couldn’t help but wonder if Yugi’s grandfather was still alive.   
Soon his attention was diverted from those thoughts to happier ones, as Jesse shook his hand to show him a new VR console.  
«We could buy one», he said, weighing the decision. «It’s about time we try out that virtual reality game made by Kaiba and Yugi… how long ago?».

 

 

 

With a laugh, Jesse grabbed one the remaining boxes containing the VR console: «Your job has really confused you, uh? They released that game eight years ago. For what matters, we should probably buy their new one», he suggested, pointing at it with a nod of his head.   
The game was on display and it could be tested for free on a console, but there was a crown around it so both men preferred not be involved.   
Putting down the box after deciding to buy both console and game on another day, Jesse turned his attention to the counter, and take half a step back upon noticing fierce amethyst and crimson eyes staring at him.  
«Uhm, Jaden? I think Yugi is looking at us».

 

 

 

«What makes you think that? The fact his eyes are piercing my brain or the fact he’s not even trying to be unnoticed?».  
Smiling, Jaden took Jesse’s hand and approached the counter.  
Behind it, Yugi crossed his arms on the Puzzle, raising an eyebrow; his lips, however, curved into a smile soon after.   
Jaden greeted him, happily squeezing his hand in a friendly shake, but then he took a glance of the gold pendant hanging from the man’s neck. Didn’t he lose the Puzzle (and the Pharaoh with it) years prior? The last time he saw him, Yugi didn’t  have the Millennium Item around his neck. Nor he had crimson specks in his eyes.

 

 

 

«I wasn’t expecting to see you here, Jaden. What are you doing in Domino? I thought you settled down, now that you have a job at Duel Academy», Yugi asked, genuinely curious. He hadn’t seen Jaden for eight years, at that point, since his last year at the Academy.

 

 

 

Jaden squeezed Jesse’s hand: «Christmas holiday», he replied, hinting at the teal-haired man. «We wanted to spend some time together, and ultimately decide to come here. Domino is a beautiful city, after all», he added.   
«Besides, why are _you_ here? I thought...».

 

 

 

«You thought I wasn’t working here anymore? Yeah, I’m not. But I like to help around Christmas, there’s always so many people. And I didn’t want to… I especially wanted to be here on this Christmas. He would have like it».

 

 

 

The hint of grief in Yugi’s voice quickly gave away it’s reason: «I’m sorry. Your grandfather was a really good man», he said, comforting.

 

 

 

Yugi smiled: «More than anyone else. But – he added – we’re not here to talk about that. Life’s not eternal, and we have to deal with it, sooner or later. Let’s not throw shadow on a happy day like this. How’s life going? Seto told me you’re the best professor the Academy has ever had».

 

 

 

«Don’t say that, I’m not that good», Jaden countered, embarrassed. Being told that by the King of Games himself was nothing short than flustering. «It’s going well, honestly. And with Jesse is going even better», he added, winking at him.

 

 

 

«Stop it, you damn flirt».  
Jesse elbowed him in the ribs, gaining a pained harsh breath from Jaden, and a laugh from Yugi.

 

 

 

«You two sure are cute, together», he commented, still giggling. «For how long have you been together? You weren’t, by the time I challenged Jaden to our Duel».

 

 

 

«Three years», Jesse answered. «It’s a funny story, how we got together. Let’s say Jaden came to my door, puppy eyes and everything».

 

 

 

«That’s _not_ how it went!», Jaden chimed, his face suddenly a fiery shade of red. «I didn’t have puppy eyes».

 

 

 

«No, you didn’t», Jesse complied. «You had sparkling golden eyes, so deep I got lost in them, full of fear and hope. You had beautiful, piercing eyes that saw through my soul, until I gave in and finally fell for you», he said, forgetting Yugi was listening to them, still smiling, his friendly expression softened in a welcoming one.   
«Sorry», he apologized. «I kind of forgot we’re not alone».

 

 

 

«Oh, don’t apologize to me. Rather, give a glass of water to your King, there, or me might set himself ablaze in spontaneous combustion», Yugi laughed, nodding at Jaden.  
«You have a beautiful connection. It’s not easy finding the right person to settle down with».

 

 

 

In that moment, Yugi’s attention was required by a forming line of customers, so the King of Games said goodbye to both of them, with the promise to meet and hang out someday, and Jaden was left with his burning face and a smugly smiling Jesse to deal with.  
«Stop saying stuff like that in public», he muttered, hiding his face in the collar of his jacket. «You know I love it too much».

 

 

 

«Oh, shut up».  
Amused by his boyfriend, Jesse grabbed Jaden by the arm and dragged him out of the game shop, waving his hand at Yugi before stepping back in the cold air of the street.   
«Do you want to go back to Domino Plaza? It’s 8 pm, I’m pretty sure the tree is lit, now», he asked him, when he finally regained control on his face.

 

 

 

Jaden nodded: «Absolutely! Let’s go».  
They crossed a lot of streets and walked down various sidewalks, before finally getting back to Domino Plaza. The brunet didn’t realize how far they walked around, in those hours of roaming aimlessly.   
When they arrived, both Jaden and Jesse gasped, blinded by thousands and thousands of lights, overwhelmed by the shimmering beauty in front of their eyes.   
The tree was covered in white, gold and silver sparkles, light chasing light on strings and tubes, blinking stars on every branch, glimmering amber fighting flickering snow.   
On the very top of the tree, the star balanced there was so shiny and bright its white light engulfed every window and wall facing it, reflecting on glass and metal and creating marvelous patterns.   
Even the base of the tree, barely visible under  thick branches, was enveloped by strings of lights, pale blue glows that gave it a magic feel.   
His eyes catching and reflecting the light, Jaden hold Jesse close, nuzzling his fluffy hair, and then left his head to rest on the man’s shoulder: «This is so beautiful», he whispered, lost in that intense vision.

 

 

 

Unable to reply, bewildered and amazed, Jesse merely throw a hand around Jaden’s shoulders and laid a gentle kiss on his forehead.  
They stayed there, standing in front of the glowing Christmas Tree, for long enough they started to shiver in the cold air, surrounded by people but alone with themselves, taking in a spectacular view. Jesse was so distracted, he didn’t even notice the white, tiny snowflakes falling from the sky.

 

 

 

«It’s snowing…».  
A whisper, and Jaden straightened up, his lips curving in a huge smile as crystallized water flew in the wind, too faint to stick to the ground, but magical in its own way nonetheless.   
Laughing, he grabbed Jesse by his waist and spun him around, as cheerful as a little kid: «It’s snowing, Jesse!».   
And then, obviously, Jaden tripped and they both fell on the ground, Jesse landing on top of the brunet and stealing his breath.  
Instead of complaining, however, he ran his hands in Jesse’s hair and pulled him down for a brief kiss, while around them people cheered and children laughed.  
«Well, they took this well», Jaden remarked, as the teal-haired man shook his head, still giggling.

 

 

 

To avoid drawing too much attention, Jesse freed himself from Jaden’s grasp and stood up, holding out his hand: «Get up, Romeo. You’ll end up sick», he said.

 

 

 

«Don’t be so dramatic. I’ve experienced worse things», Jaden replied, grabbing his hand.

 

 

 

«Yeah, you did – Jesse complied, pulling him up – but the last time you caught a cold, Mr. I’ve seen worse, you refused getting out of bed for two weeks and bitched about your stuffed nose for the whole time».

 

 

 

Jaden pouted at that, knowing it was painfully true, and didn’t reply.  
Instead, he ruffled his hair and checked the time: «It’s 7 pm. We have time to go back to our hotel, change into something… more formal, and arrive at the restaurant without being late. Sounds good?».

 

 

 

«Sounds good», Jesse agreed, and they left Domino Plaza hand in hand, already thinking about their dinner.


	3. Chapter 3

Rummaging through his luggage, Jaden finally found the item of his hunt: a black pair of pants and shirt and a vibrant red jacket. He never wore those; in fact, Jaden bought the suit exclusively for that trip to Domino. He knew he was going to organize a fancy dinner, but his closet had nothing formal in it.   
Aside from the high collar shirt resembling the one his past life Supreme King wore. And he didn’t want to wear such a thing for Christmas Eve.   
«Hey, Jesse, are you…oh».  
The intention of asking Jesse if he was done died the moment Jaden’s eyes fixated on him.

 

His body was tightly wrapped in a white suit, the clothing hugging his frame like they were made form-fitting just for him. Jesse was clutching a soft jacket in his hand, and his chest was enveloped by a silky looking shirt, blue like the sapphire on his Pegasus’s forehead. Around his neck there was a pure white tie, with an elegant knot that would have taken forever for Jesse to make.  
«You are… Jesse, oh my god, you’re beautiful», Jaden said in a soft voice, stunned.   
Is someone would have added a halo on Jesse’s head, the impression of him being an angel walking on earth was nothing but perfect.

 

 

 

«Don’t overreact, it’s nothing», Jesse replied, although pleased by that reaction. «Rather, you need to get dressed, too. Or your perfect plan will be completely butchered and we’re going to be late», he added, winking at the brunet.

 

 

 

Swallowing dry, Jaden nodded and headed towards the bathroom; he didn’t need to shower (he took a brief one with Jesse right after coming back to their suite), but he needed to tame his hair into a more reasonable shape.  
He grabbed a soft brush from the sink and started brushing his hair, long chocolate locks shaded with a much lighter hue, until he was satisfied with the result. Then, searching in own stuff he had gathered in the bathroom, recovered a black hair tie and tied his hair in a low ponytail, leaving only a few locks hanging free from his forehead, like a messy bang.   
Once pleased, he got out of the pajamas he was wearing just to be comfy while Jesse was getting dressed, and replaced it with his suit, much less comfortable but definitely more appropriate for the kind of setting they were going to get themselves into.   
He decided to avoid a tie, knowing he would be annoyed by it, and much to his appreciation the outfit worked pretty well together. At first, he thought the bright red jacket was going to clash and make everything weird, but the plain black of pants and shirt helped in maintaining a certain grade of sobriety.   
Even Yubel seemed to like it, judging by their hum of approval.   
«So… how’s this?».

 

 

 

Jesse, who was drinking water from a bottle left by the hotel’s staff, nearly choked on it.   
«Holy Dragon, do you want to give me a heart attack so badly?», he sputtered, feeling his cheeks burning red.  
Jaden was… perfect.  
Sure, dressed in all black, with a fiery jacket on and glowing gold eyes he also seemed the embodiment of a not-so-evil demon, but he was, undeniably, perfect.   
Disappointed, Jesse ran a hand through his constrained hair, fidgeting with the hair tie: «Do you really need to tie them?».

 

 

 

«If I don’t want to be thrown out because I look like a failed metal singer, yes», was the answer. «It’s only for the dinner».  
Slowly, Jaden moved his hands up Jesse’s back, stroking idly the soft fabric of his candid jacket, until he had a hand under his chin and the other firmly tangled in his hair. With a low hum, he leaned in just enough to let their lips touch, Jesse’s minty breath caressing his nose: «Let’s get going, they’re not going to wait for us», he said, immediately killing the atmosphere.

 

 

 

«Oh, you fucking tease», Jesse tried to smack him, but Jaden slipped through his assault and got away, winking mischievously.   
«You’re going to pay for that, you know», he warned him, menacingly.

 

 

 

Jaden simply laughed, cheerfully, and took Jesse by the arm: «I promise, I’ll make it up to you. But now we really have to get going», he said.  
In response, he got a tender kiss on the cheek and another piercing glare from emerald eyes.

 

 

 

 

 

When they got to the restaurant, Jesse almost turned around and ran away.   
That restaurant, other than being relatively small, was so expensive looking he was feeling out of place. The main room was a profusion of gold and silver decorations, lit by crystal chandeliers and occupied by a few rounds tables, all of them covered in thick and embroidered table cloths. On all of them, no exceptions, silver candlesticks held pure red candles, and the silverware was, by every means, probably real silver.   
Jesse couldn’t tell, really. He was wealthy, he had to admit that, given his fame not only as a Duelist, but also as the keeper of the Rainbow Dragon, but that…  
«How in the ever-loving Shadow Realm did you find this place?», he hissed at Jaden.

 

 

 

He shrugged: «I was searching for fancy restaurants, and this was the best. Good reviews, good service, good food. You know, that kind of things. I don’t know, it seemed appropriate for our vacation», he answered, snorting at the last sentence. «We can afford it, so why don’t try it?».

 

 

 

«I swear, you’re impossible», Jesse shook his head, but inside, he was smiling. Of course Jaden had to choose the most expensive and good looking one for their dinner. He cared so much it almost hurt to think about it. «Come on, I’m hungry».

 

 

 

«See? It’s not that difficult», Jaden mocked him jokingly.   
Then, assuming a more serious look on his face, Jaden approached a man standing behind a lectern, on which there was the digital screen of a tablet.

 

 

 

«Good evening. Can I help you?».

 

 

 

«We have a reservation», Jaden answered, clearing his voice. «Oh behalf of Jaden Yuki. I have a guest with me».

 

 

 

«Jaden Yuki», the man repeated, scrolling quickly through the tablet. A few seconds later, he bowed his head and briefly smiled, as an attendant came up to them: «We have registered your reservation. Your table is ready, Mr. Yuki», he said, gesturing towards the attendant.

 

 

 

Catching the allusion, Jaden took Jesse under his arm and followed the attendant. The young man escorted them to their table, a quiet spot not so blended in with the others, and bowed his head before leaving.   
«Oh my, this is insane», Jaden commented, lowering his voice. «I’ve never been in one of these. Now I know how Aster feels like».

 

 

 

Jesse quietly laughed, glancing around; there were few other patrons, all dressed in nice outfits and adorned with jewels.   
«How long ago did you call to make a reservation? This seems like the kind of place that never has a free table», he asked, reaching for the menu.  
Just by a quick look, he saw it was a set menu; he knew it was common habit to have those kind of menus in fine dining restaurants, so the kitchen always had fresh ingredients, but he wasn’t expecting that kind of variety on it.   
One side of the menu included meat and fish, the other vegetarian dishes.

 

 

 

«I called a week before we left the island. I was lucky, they had only two free tables left. Give half a hour, and this place will be full of rich people enjoying a different kind of Christmas Eve, for a change. It’s going to be weird, not eating fried chicken as tradition wants», Jaden explained, scrolling through the menu while doing so.   
He eyed some of the fish options, and opted for a dish with a name longer than a description on a Duel Monsters card: crusted halibut with asparagus, confit tomatoes and oyster beignet.   
Just that name convinced Jaden he may had mistaken, upon choosing a restaurant that fancy.   
«Have you decided? We could always ask a waiter for advice. I kinda choose blindly mine», he asked Jesse, who was squinting at the menu.

 

 

 

He shook his head: «No, I think I found something. It’s just… there’s really nothing with a name made of less than five words? I swear, I’ve never seen dishes with names like these. And I lived in freaking Finland».  
In the end, he settled for a fish-based dish, like Jaden, and chose steamed plaice with ginger and soy.  
«Wait, what was that thing about fried chicken about? I thought you only eat that on Christmas Eve because you like it».

 

 

 

«No, it’s actually a tradition, here in Japan», Jaden answered, with an amused smile. «You never asked me, so I figured you already knew».

 

 

 

«Well, I didn’t. What’s that about? I’ve never seen a tradition like this. I mean, we normally eat Christmas ham, but that’s… I don’t know, less bizarre?».  
Feeling like he was walking on thin ice, Jesse tried to go around the issue. He didn’t want to be rude or anything, especially about a tradition.

 

 

 

Figuring his discomfort, Jaden laughed: «Don’t be like that. It’s a weird tradition, I can tell you that. I don’t even know how it started, but I know it started because of something done by KFC. Nothing else in my knowledge, I’m afraid».   
He shrugged, shaking off the issue: «I’m so used to eat it, by now, it’s more like a habit than a tradition. I don’t even think about why I eat it. I just… eat the fried chicken and enjoy it».   
By the time Jaden was done speaking, a waiter approached their table to take their orders, and the brunet took advantage of the situation to ask for some advice about wines.  
The waiter nodded and suggested a few options that went along with their food choices, and ultimately Jaden settled on a refreshing white wine, quite expensive but highly recommended, and the waiter left.  
A few minutes later, the same waiter came back with a bottle of that wine, and poured a glass fro Jesse first, and then for Jaden.   
Not knowing much about wines and such, Jaden took a hesitant sip and raised his eyebrow, surprised by how good it was.  
After that, the waiter left again and both men reprised their conversation, switching the theme from Christmas food traditions to Duel Monsters.

 

The food did take a bit to arrive, but when the waiter finally placed the plates down on the table, the look and smell coming from them was so inviting Jaden almost forgot it was good manners to let the guest take the first bite.   
«How is it?», he asked Jesse, after he took a small bite from his plaice.

 

 

 

Astonished by the party going on on his taste buds, Jesse took a while to answer, taking his time to chew and swallow the perfectly cooked and seasoned plaice: «It’s amazing. You were right, it’s always worth a try», he said, cutting another piece off of the fish.

 

 

 

Curious, especially by the look of his dish, Jaden took a cautious bite from the halibut and widened his eyes in surprise: he had never tasted something that good, even after five years of travelling around the world and trying new stuff.   
«It’s really good!», he finally said, too immersed in savoring the flavor in his mouth. The fish was delicate, and the sauce coming with it nothing but perfect.   
He was by no mean a food expert, in fact he would eat almost everything in front of him, but that was a whole new level of cooking.

 

They ate slowly, chewing thoroughly on their food before swallowing bite after bite, and splashing it all with cold wine. Their plates took an unusual time for them to be emptied, and they were left satisfied. Especially because the portions weren’t just small pieces of art more interesting to look at than to eat.   
When the waiter approached them again, asking how the meal was going and if they wanted dessert, Jaden left Jesse decide for them, being officially the guest of the evening.   
He decided for simple liquid chocolate cakes and the waiter left.  
Taking in the soothing atmosphere, aided by the lit candle on their table, Jaden reached out and took Jesse’s hand, drawing imaginary circles with his thumb on its back: «You know, I’m not an expert about romantic dinners, but I’m pretty sure we killed this», he said, smiling.

 

 

 

«What are you talking about? We discussed about food and Duel Monsters. I think we nailed it», Jesse replied, in the same low voice, his lips curved upwards. «We’ve never been that good at this kind of thing. It’s no use, we know it, at this point», he added, trying not to laugh at the memory of their first (attempted) date.   
They ended up Dueling and kissing under a tree after Jesse’s tragic defeat at the hands of Jaden’s Heroes, completely oblivious to the whole “be romantic and shit” thing. They even screwed all the good sense in the world and straight up decided to have sex, before stepping back in hesitation.   
«This is good», he said, placing his hand on top of Jaden’s. «It’s good to be together. We don’t need to be romantic just because the situation needs us to. You can be so sweet, at times, I don’t even know where you keep those words».

 

 

 

Jaden tried to reply, but the waiter interrupted them with their dessert, so he disentangled his hand from Jesse’s tender grip and grabbed a spoon: «I still think this should be a proper date», he whispered, taking off a small chunk from the cake.   
Balancing it on the tiny spoon, he raised his arm and offered the bite to Jesse: «Come on, do you want to try it first?».

 

 

 

Blushing a bit, Jesse took a swift look around before accepting the offering, opening his mouth to let Jaden feed him the cake.  
Right when the chocolate touched his tongue, Jesse hummed in delight, taking pleasure in the melting sweetness overwhelming his taste buds. «It’s so good! You have to take a bite, too», he finally expressed, imitating Jaden with his spoon.

 

They fed themselves the lava cake until their plates were empty, with just some melted chocolate and crumbles left on them, and Jesse giggled at seeing Jaden try to clean up his lips. He would have gladly leaned in to kiss the leftover chocolate off, but refrained from doing so in that place.   
Instead, he let Jaden take care of the bill (he had insisted to) and finally followed him out of that fancy place, back in Domino’s cold air.   
On the ground, still faded, snow was beginning to set, and hundreds of fluffy snowflakes kept falling from the clouded sky.

 

 

 

 

 

The walk back to their hotel room was quick, chatty and giggly. However, the moment the door slammed behind Jaden’s back, he found himself trapped into Jesse’s arms, his fingers trailing down until they firmly grasped his butt, and he responded by cupping his cheeks with his own hands.  
Leaning in, Jesse crashed their mouth together in a messy, almost desperate kiss, their tongues intertwining and fighting for dominance, the taste of chocolate still lingering.   
Jaden moaned into the kiss, trying to gain control, but eventually he gave up and let Jesse guide them to their bedroom, never breaking their contact, stumbling upon pieces of furniture as they made their way to the bed.  
«Jesse…».  
His hands still tangled in teal locks, Jaden let his boyfriend place him down on the soft mattress and pulled his head back, leaving Jesse enough space to cover his neck in tiny kisses and gentle bites.

 

 

 

«Gods, you’re so beautiful like this…», Jesse murmured, his lips up again, near Jaden’s earlobe, nipping and lapping at it as he spoke.   
Slowly, he kissed every single bit of exposed skin he could find, taking in every pleased moan coming from Jaden, and finally got his fingers to unbutton the black shirt covering him.  
«So… are you going to keep your promise?», ,he whispered against his skin, slowly kissing down his chest, his hands and skilled fingers still roaming over it, caressing lightly the exposed flesh.

 

 

 

Jaden ran his hand through teal hair, the other resting on the sheets as the man made his way, and smiled: «I did say I would make it up to you, didn’t I?», he muttered, biting his lips when Jesse’s tongue circled over his nipples, slowly but surely, building up his excitement.   
Needless to say, his pants were starting to become more than uncomfortably tight, at that point, and when Jesse accidentally rubbed his forming erection with his leg, Jaden let out a loud moan, reflexively strengthening his grip on the sheets.

 

 

 

«Eager to finish, uh?», Jesse mocked him, tentatively stroking the bulge in his pants, too softly to relieve Jaden, but with enough confidence he let out another loud gasp.  
He didn’t expect Jaden to counter, pulling himself up a bit so his hand could disentangle from the teal locks and stroke Jesse, his grin widening as the man panted at the touch.

 

 

 

«Says the one that’s as hard as me», he provocatively whispered in his ear, the arm planted on the mattress shaking for the effort of keeping his body up.   
Eventually, he gave in and dropped down again, moving both hands to the buttons on Jesse’s shirt: «You’re wearing too much clothes… let me help you», he said, his voice becoming hoarser the more Jesse worked his fingers on his exposed skin.   
Jaden removed his shirt with fast movements, throwing it aside carelessly before pulling him down in a wet kiss, licking his lips as soon as they separated to breathe, his hands caressing Jesse’s back and squeezing his ass as they went down.

 

 

 

Breathing heavily, Jesse freed himself from Jaden’s grip and resumed his ministrations, this time moving even farther down the brunet’s body, until his face was literally on his trapped erection.  
Grinning, Jesse unbuckled his belt with slow and measured movements, earning moans of pleasure and complaint from Jaden as he unbuttoned his pants to take them off.   
He flung the clothes across the room and lapped tentatively at Jaden’s dick, still bound by his underwear and already leaking.

 

 

 

«For the love of… stop teasing!», Jaden complained, instinctively grabbing Jesse’s hair as he felt his mouth wander down there.   
The man, however, instead of listening to him bypassed his attention-seeking dick to move down, kissing and nipping at the sensitive skin on his legs.

 

 

 

He wanted to worship that mess of a man under his control, taste every single bit of his body, take in every moan and whimper as his tongue made his way on his skin. He wanted to drink every moment, as greedily as a god, as he made that demon in disguise unravel under his touch.   
«Say it, Jaden. What do you want?», Jesse muttered, slowly coming back up his legs, settling between Jaden’s legs, his fingers stroking him from over the fabric. «What could a King want, from his Keeper?».  
His pants were too tight, too, but Jesse wanted to keep that up for as much as he could, so the man grinned, lightly caressing the sensitive skin just above Jaden’s waistband.   
«Tell me, and I’ll give it to you».

 

 

 

«Take it…».  
His mind clouded, Jaden licked his lips, his hips mechanically bucking up in an attempt to seek physical contact on his painful erection.   
«Take it… Take it in you mouth… please», he begged.

 

 

 

Jesse grinned again but complied, taking off Jaden’s underwear and freeing his erection. Teasingly, he ran his hand up the shaft, touching it ever so slightly, until he finally lapped carefully along the entire length.   
Almost immediately, Jaden’s grip on his hair tightened, and Jesse took it as an invitation to continue, taking the tip in his mouth and running his tongue over it.  
Bit by bit, hollowing his cheeks careful not to scrape the over-sensitive skin with his teeth, Jesse took as much as he could in his mouth, stroking what he couldn’t take with his hand.  
Upon hearing Jaden’s swear, followed by a muffled moan, Jesse couldn’t help but hum a laugh, sending a strong shiver of pleasure through the brunet’s body.  
He bobbed his head up and down, his tongue working alongside his movements, and when Jaden’s hands tried to pull him away, he didn’t budge.   
Instead, he forced his dick down his throat and warded off his gag reflex, just two more times.   
Then, Jaden’s hips bucked up as he came, and Jesse did his best to swallow every drop of his release without choking, holding him down to avoid suffocating.

 

 

 

«Fuck… you didn’t have to….».

 

 

 

«Shut up», Jesse silenced him, licking his lips as he straightened up. He wasn’t expecting him to come that fast, however.   
«You were holding out, weren’t you?», he jokingly mocked him, giving his dick another squeeze and earning a glare, eyes not so cold as they were filled with lust.  
Instead of letting him reply, though, Jesse removed his pants and took a relieved sigh as his erection was finally exposed, his dick begging to be touched.

 

 

 

«Ah! You’re one to speak», Jaden said, reaching out to pull Jesse down for another kiss, not caring about where his mouth has just been. He could feel his own taste on the man’s tongue, but that didn’t stop him from deepening the kiss, biting his swollen lips as they broke apart to let some air into their lungs.   
He wanted to touch him, to return the favor, but as soon as he tried to, Jesse held him down and started stroking his dick again.   
A low whine escaped Jaden’s mouth, as his fingers worked their magic on his shaft, and he bit his lip to hold in a louder one as he felt those fingers reaching down, teasing his entrance.  
« Jesse…», he called, instinctively spreading his legs.  
He was so distracted by that, he didn’t realize Jesse had popped open their bottle of lube until he felt a finger make his way inside him, slick with cold gel.   
«Ah… fuck…!», the brunet moaned, gripping again the sheets beside him.  
Jesse slowly worked his fingers inside him, adding another one only when he felt Jaden was ready to bear the feeling.  
At the same time, the sight of Jesse slicking his own dick with lube, stroking it with cautious flick of his wrist, made Jaden hard again.   
He took in the wound-up expression on the man’s face, his fast breaths as he worked himself up, and when his fingers curled inside him, touching that sweet spot, Jaden let out a small cry and came again, splashing his chest with his own release.   
«J-Jesse…».

 

 

 

«Say it», he groaned, still moving his fingers inside Jaden’s body. «Say that you want me».

 

 

 

Swallowing down his pride, his eyes lost in bright emeralds, Jaden raised his hands to Jesse’s face, caressing his flushed cheeks: «I want you», he said, not begging, but not even demanding. «I want you inside me, Jesse. Please, fuck me».

 

 

 

And Jesse couldn’t say no to that.  
He grabbed the bottle of lube again and squeezed a generous amount on his dick, gasping at the feel, before settling up between Jaden’s legs.   
Carefully, he lined up with Jaden’s entrance and made his way into his body, leaning down to kiss him as he felt the man tense up: «Relax, Jaden…», he whispered on his lips, his hand reaching down to stroke his dick one more time, to distract him from the pain.   
He kissed off a tear and moaned as he passes the ring of muscles, and stopped when he was fully sheathed inside him.   
«Gods, you feel so good…», he whined, barely holding himself back. He was enveloped by a heat so tight he could hardly think, but he needed to wait for Jaden to told him he was allowed to move.   
He didn’t want to hurt him, in any way.

 

 

 

Jaden adjusted pretty quickly at having Jesse’s dick inside him, and soon pulled him into another kiss: «Move… move, now», he told him, wrapping his legs around Jesse’s waist. «I want you so ba…AH!».  
Muffling a surprised and loud moan, Jaden raised a hand over his head to counter Jesse’s thrusts inside him, slow at first but becoming faster as pleasure built up.  
He felt  Jesse so deep inside him, his voice speaking on its own, calling Jesse’s name in between moans and meaningless words.  
He heard Jesse’s own groans and pants as he fucked him, the bed creaking under their movements and the headboard banging on the wall at every thrust.  
«Fuck, Jesse… harder!», he pleaded, immediately pleased as Jesse made his way into him, both of them burning with desire, their bodies slick with sweat.

 

 

 

«Jaden, I’m… I’m close», he moaned into his ear, his arms shaking for the effort of keeping himself above the other man.  
In response, Jaden’s legs reinforced their grip around his waist, and Jesse’s hips slammed against his body: «Let me go, we don’t… fuck…!».   
Anything he had wanted to say, he couldn’t, because Jaden reached his climax again in that moment, and as Jesse felt his ass tighten even more around him, he couldn’t hold back.   
He came calling his name, spilling his release inside Jaden’s ass, and dropped down on him, out of breath.   
«Idiot», he muttered. «We didn’t have condoms».

 

 

 

Jaden laughed, exhaling harsh breaths, and hugged him close, not caring about the mess they both were. Hair ruffled and going every direction, some locks slicked down by sweat, face flushed and still gasping for air, Jesse was nothing else but gorgeous.   
After a while, they broke apart and cleaned up their mess, before plopping on the bed, still naked but less steamy, and Jaden hugged Jesse again, taking his hand and putting it over his heart, where the sound of life thumped against his chest.

«My heart beats only for you, Jesse», he whispered. «It doesn’t beat for my Duels. It doesn’t beat for Yubel. It doesn’t beat for myself. _You_ are the reason my heart is so alive. Just you».  
Smiling tenderly, catching the tears of joy in Jesse’s eyes with small kisses, Jaden placed his hand on the man’s cheek, gently caressing his blushing skin: «I feel so much for you, Jesse, my heart has so mauch love for you… I would have never imagined it. since the first time I saw you, back on the roof at Duel Academy, my soul exploded. And… and when I got so close to losing you, my heart shattered. I was in so much pain, when you disappeared… When I tried to find you, when I got into a whole another dimension to save you, I thought it was just friendship. It wasn’t so long until I realized it was more than that. And when we… when I found you… That was the best day of my life. Jesse, you are the only one I’d give everything up for».

 

In that, the digital clock on the wall chimed midnight, and Jaden widened his smile, touching Jesse’s forehead with his own: «Hyvää Joulua, Jesse».

 

After saying that, he muted Jesse by putting a finger on his lips and rose from the bed, taking the teal-haired man with him.   
Ignoring his puzzled expression, barely breaking through his fiery red face and his eyes filled to the brim with both joy and surprise, the brunet gestured Jesse to wait and, despite both of them being naked, recovered a small something from his discarded coat, abandoned on the couch.  
The, still trying to be as subtle as possible, came back into the room and smiled again, his hands hidden behind his back.

 

 

 

Perplexed, Jesse watched as Jaden walked around the suite, throwing a blanket around his shoulder to stop shivering.  
«Jaden, what are you… J-Jaden?!».

 

 

 

Suddenly, too quickly for Jesse to realize what was happening at first glance, Jaden dropped on one knee and put his hands in front of him, showing the teal-haired man a delicate, small jewelry box.

 

 

 

By the time the clear diamond on the top of a thin, white gold ring, reflected the dim light shed in the room by a lamp, Jesse was having a hard time retaining his composure.

 

 

 

«Jesse… we went through fire and flames. We went through ice and snow. We went through alternate dimensions. We faced the world together, and we came back alive. We faced the darkness together, and we are still in the light. I think it’s finally time to live something normal, for once».  
His smile shook, as Jesse’s eyes filled with tears and his own started itching: «Jesse Anderson, keeper of the Rainbow Dragon, Keeper of the Supreme King, my best friend, my boyfriend… my love. Do you want to marry me?»

 

 

 

«Oh, Jaden…».  
Unable to stop the tears from falling, Jesse let Jaden put the ring on his finger and kissed him, holding him so close and so suddenly they almost fell on the soft carpet. «Yes, yes!», he finally got to say, still hugging Jaden, still refusing to let him go despite the cold of the night was making them both shudder.  
«I love you».

 

 

 

«You know something, Jesse? I think I can say the same», Jaden giggled, and dragged him back on the bed, and under the covers.  
They fell asleep holding each other, snuggling just like the first time they slept together.   
And Jaden decided to wait until the next before dropping the other bomb he was holding on to. Because he wanted to move to Domino after their marriage, and he knew Jesse was going to be ecstatic about it.


End file.
